This application claims the priority of German patent document 10 2009 034 582.5, filed Jul. 24, 2009, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to an arrangement for strengthening the road grip for a vehicle.
German Patent Document DE 10 2005 009 949 A1 describes an arrangement and a process for reducing the consequences of a collision of a vehicle with an obstacle, having a range determination device which determines the distance dimension describing the distance of the vehicle from the obstacle and transmits it to a control unit. The control unit determines the remaining time period to the collision between the vehicle and the obstacle and, as a function thereof, first triggers one or more driver warning systems and an automatic braking operation when a collision is unavoidable. In the area of the vehicle underside, at least one braking component having frictional braking devices is provided which are placed in contact with the road surface in a braking position of the braking component during the automatic braking operation.
German Patent Document DE 34 03 636 A1 describes an arrangement for strengthening the road grip for a motor vehicle, particularly for a passenger car, in which case, air is sucked by means of a jet pump from a vacuum chamber formed between the vehicle and the road, closed at the edge and sealed off with respect to the atmosphere, so that, on the blowing gas side, the jet pump is connected with the exhaust pipe of the vehicle engine and, on the suction side, the jet pump is connected with the vacuum chamber.
German Patent Document DE 2 251 152 describes an arrangement for increasing a road grip in a vehicle, particularly a passenger car, below which a vacuum can be generated for sucking off air at least in a partial area, which can be defined by a shielding provided between the vehicle and the road, which shielding can be changed from an inoperative position away from the ground into an operative position close to the ground. This shielding is formed by a ring cushion, which surrounds the partial area to which a vacuum is applied, which ring cushion is connected with the vehicle superstructure.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved arrangement for strengthening the road grip for a vehicle.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the arrangement according to the invention for strengthening the road grip for a vehicle, particularly for a passenger car, in which air can be sucked from a vacuum chamber arranged under the vehicle and closed off with respect to the ambient atmosphere, so that a vacuum can be generated. The vacuum chamber is arranged according to the invention in a braking plate which can be changed from an inoperative position away from the ground into an operative position close to the ground as a result of the generated vacuum. The generated vacuum presses the braking plate onto the road, and will generate an additional braking force which advantageously shortens a braking distance of the vehicle and/or reduces an impact speed of the vehicle upon an obstacle. Thus, for example, before a collision of the vehicle with an obstacle, a clearly higher kinetic energy can be reduced than could be reduced by means of conventional vehicle braking systems.
As a result, the consequences of an accident will be decreased in a particularly advantageous manner.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.